The US Gambling Standards Authority (ASA) has deemed an advertisement for the Cheltenham Festival, featured on social media platform X, as "irresponsible" due to its inclusion of an OnlyFans personality. The ad, promoted by sports betting aggregator Festival Free Bets, was required to remove an illustration featuring Astrid Wett in Prescott Park.
With over 180 thousand subscribers on X, Wett, who was under 25 at the time of the ad's publication, became the subject of a complaint questioning the compliance of the ad with current gambling advertising regulations. These regulations stipulate that individuals under 25, or those who appear to be under 25, should not be depicted in gambling-related content.
The ASA expressed concern over Festival Free's lack of response or cooperation during the investigation, highlighting their apparent disregard for the established rules. Ultimately, the ASA concluded that Wett's image was the focal point of the advertisement in question, which was published in March.
